1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head that is held in slide contact with, for example, a magnetic recording medium, to record or reproduce information, and to a support structure suitably applicable to a magnetic head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally speaking, a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus is used for the recording/reproduction of information of a computer or the like. In a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, information is recorded/reproduced on/from a magnetic recording medium by means of a magnetic head.
FIG. 10 shows an example of a conventional magnetic head.
In the drawing, numeral 1 indicates a magnetic head, and numeral 2 indicates a magnetic disc (magnetic recording medium).
The magnetic head 1 is held in slide contact with the magnetic disc 2 rotating in the direction indicated by an arrow B, and performs the recording/reproducing of information. The magnetic head 1 is generally composed of a slider 3 (the main body of the magnetic head) and a gimbal spring 4 joined to the slider 3. The magnetic head 1 is supported such that it receives a slight biasing force toward the magnetic disc 2 at a support point 5a of a pivot 5 (support member).
A magnetic gap 6 is formed on the upstream side J with respect to the rotation (running) of the slide contact surface of the slider 3, which records/reproduces information on/from the magnetic disc 2 by using this magnetic gap 6.
Further, the slider 3 is swingable around the portion where the center C with respect to the direction of the arrow B crosses the gimbal spring 4.
The operation of the magnetic head 1, constructed as described above, will now be described.
The gimbal spring 4 is supported while being biased toward the magnetic disc 2 by the pivot 5.
The gimbal spring 4 is joined to the slider 3, so that the slider 3 is also biased toward the magnetic disc 2 by the biasing force of the pivot 5.
Due to this arrangement, the slider 3 is held in slide contact with the magnetic disc 2, and the recording and reproduction of information is made possible by using the magnetic gap 6.
The magnetic disc 2 rotates (runs) in the direction of the arrow B, so that, on the surface where the slider 3 is in contact with the magnetic disc 2, the contact resistance on the upstream side J with respect to the rotating (running) direction is liable to be rather large.
Further, the slider 3 is swingable around the portion where the center C with respect to the direction of the arrow B thereof crosses the gimbal spring 4.
As a result, the slider 3, whose contact resistance on the upstream side J has increased, is pitched forward, and the portion of the slider 3 on the upstream side J is brought close to the magnetic disc 2 while the portion of the slider 3 on the downstream side K is inclined so as to be raised from the magnetic disc 2.
In this condition, for the slider 3 to maintain the holding state with respect to the magnetic disc 2, the magnetic gap 6 and the support point 5a of the pivot 5 are positioned in the vicinity of the center C of the slider 3 or somewhat nearer to the upstream side J.
The above-described conventional magnetic head has the following problem:
To meet the demand for an increase in information recording/reproducing speed, it is necessary to increase the rotating speed of the magnetic disc 2.
As a result of an increase in the rotating speed of the magnetic disc 2, an airflow is generated. The airflow enters the gap between the slider 3 and the magnetic disc 2, with the result that the upstream side J is raised, and the downstream side K is brought close to the magnetic disc 2 to thereby cancel their holding state. As a result, a satisfactory read/write characteristic cannot be obtained.
This problem might be overcome by enhancing the biasing force provided by the pivot 5. However, that would lead to an excessively high contact pressure, thereby damaging the magnetic disc 2 and applying an excessive load to the motor for rotating the magnetic disc 2.